Wool
by Runi-chan
Summary: It's amazing how something from so long ago can so simply tie her heart to his. TenxRose


_I don't know why I didn't get this idea earlier. I really do not know. The image of Ten in Four's scarf and doing an impression of Four is priceless. Of course, Aimee Major Steinberger's very cute New Year's Eve illustration is kind of close, and half-inspiration for this.  
_

_Disclaimer: BBC owns Dr. Who. I don't. Basically, Doctor/Rose fluff. It took a while to decide whether or not to include everyone (a la Journey's End BIG EPIC PILOTING SCENE that had me grinning), or just loads of silly Rose stuff. I decided on Rose, with a hint of Donna. (Donna's my favorite guys, sorry.)_

_Takes place AFTER "School Reunion", but, of course, before the end of series 2. Somewhere in there, since you can never quite figure just how long the Doctor and a companion travel together unless they explicitly show that "event A happens, and RIGHT AFTER, event B happens". And then...well, you'll see.  
_

_I'm trying to draw on things Four actually did/said, and the height difference between Four and Ten. Tom Baker's 6' 3". Tennant's...not that tall. I would love to write more about 4xRomana II in this, but I couldn't quite find a way to fit it in without it seeming forced. Romana gets a mention in here, but you've got to be quick on your feet to see it. I don't quite know enough about the older series to write about Romana or Sarah Jane's opinion of the scarf, thus why I left them out.  
_

* * *

Rose sauntered into the control room, a smile on her face and a couple metres of a very familiar article of clothing wrapped about her neck and arms.

"What's this, then?"

The Doctor gave a good thump on the console and looked up. There it was again, army green and red and so many other shades, staring back at him like a lucid dream. His eyes went wide.

"Blimey, I haven't seen that for....," he tried to count the years mentally, but found them surprisingly long, and chose the half-answer, "...for a very long time. And why were you in the wardrobe?"

Rose only continued to smile, and swung one end around and bounced on her hip, earning a goofy smile from the time lord in front of her.

"I can't imagine that serious face of yours with this silly thing. I mean, it's kind of ridiculous, you think?" Rose paused to think of the Doctor's prior face--all steel and sinew--and him gallavanting around with a nine foot scarf wound about him. The image stuck in her mind, and she fell to her knees laughing. The Doctor took great offense to this.

"Oi, it's not that funny!"

Rose only responded with more laughter. The Doctor frowned.

"Stop it!"

More laughter, and the Doctor let himself crack a smile. Wiping his hands on a spare rag (he'd been rebuilding the TARDIS for a while, and had decided against a nice dress shirt as part of his 'engineer' uniform, instead sporting a blue tee shirt, but still in his dress slacks. The old girl could only provide so many nice shirts, depending on her patience--he sometimes thought the TARDIS did things just to irritate him. Like, landing them on the wrong continent. Or actually working correctly when another pilot took the wheel), he took one end of the scarf and unlooped it from Rose's neck. Nimble fingers looped it back around his in a practiced motion, and he stood before her.

"Ta-da!"

Rose was on her feet again, giggling. The Doctor felt his hearts skip a beat--anything she did cut him to the core--but he hid the shock on his face.

"Give us a turn on the catwalk!" Rose called. The Doctor slumped.

"Rose, that's a little..."

"Go on!"

The TARDIS murmured in pleased tones, which the Time Lord responded to with a glare. But he felt something long since hidden in him--the feeling of enjoying fun. He hummed and turned and showed it off. Rose was beaming, and the Doctor smiled. He joined her back at the wardrobe a little later.

"I seriously just can't see you wearing some extra long scarf."

"I did, once."

"Bad ol' serious you? With those ears?"

"Oi!"

"Sorry."

"No, not that face."

And it had barely slipped out of his mouth before he realized that he hadn't said much about regeneration beyond the one time it happened in front of her. She gave him a bemused look, as if she had been told something but not filled in completely. The time lord sputtered, trying to salvage himself.

"That's, um, well, you see...We've got...I've got..."

Rose smirked inwardly. It was fun to watch the Doctor squirm.

"Time Lords have only so many...'lives'. Before, with Sarah Jane," (here Rose let her face sour), "I was this tall bloke, deep voice, sort of like," he cleared his throat, unsure if he could even summon up that voice anymore, "Excuse me, can you help me? I'm a spy".

Rose busts out laughing, and the Doctor can't help but grin. She's sunshine, pure and warm, to his overcast, dark days.

"I think I remember shouting 'waffle' at a military man, too."

Rose gasped for breath, laughter making her sides hurt. She fell against the Doctor, and soon they were both dissolved into a puddle of giggling silliness. When they could both breathe again, a thought struck the Doctor. He jumped up (leaving the scarf in a woolen mess on the floor), and flipped through the various suits and jumpers he'd worn, eager to find what he was looking for. Rose stroked the scarf absently with her thumb, looking up.

"Whatcha looking for?"

"You'll see!" he called, muttering as he dug through various garments. At last, he located his prize, and went arm deep into a pocket (at this Rose raised an eyebrow, but soon let it go) to retrieve it. He resumed his seat next to Rose (rather ungracefully, with a loud 'thunk' and his legs splayed), and offered her a small, white bag. She leaned over to look inside.

"That's what you were looking for?"

"Want one?"

"If you wanted a jelly baby, we could have popped back to London and gone to a Sainsburys."

Realization bloomed across the Doctor's face.

"Oh..."

"You silly git," Rose smiled and threw the scarf over the Doctor's neck again. He gave a lopsided grin, and looped a free end around Rose. She'd wormed her way into his heart (he always let every friend into his heart, but love...oh, love was special), and was intent on staying there. He pulled her closer, then plopped an worn fedora onto her head.

"There. Completes the look."

Rose pushed the brim up, eyes mischevious. The Doctor blanched, fearful of what punishment awaited him (and that tiny spark of feeling at the base of his spine that was begging him to do more than just appreciate her presence). Moments later, he stood in his old clothing (much much too big for this current short, thin frame), imitating himself from years past. And his Rose, his radiant Rose, was grinning, and giggling, and he let go for once.

The TARDIS lurched sharply, sending Rose tumbling into the Doctor. She lingered (a little loathe to pull away from the comforting rhythm of those two hearts), and he had jumped out of his old clothing (he was so much skinnier and shorter now, he'd slipped the older clothing over top his newer attire). Somehow, he beat her to the console room, and was back in his suit jacket and dress shirt. He looked up as she came in again, this time carrying his old fedore with her. A smile lit up his face.

"Ready?"

"Always!" she replied, plopping the hat down on his head.

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"Right, party...urm, Donna, you might want to change."

"Into what, exactly? Didn't bring any 'period' costumes with me, Doctor."

He gave a wry smile.

"Oh, that's alright, the TARDIS'll help."

"What, like it'll...just make clothes for me. Just outta nowhere?"

"...well, not "make", but yeah. Wardrobe is...," he paused. The ship would probably move it on Donna.

"You know, I'll just show you there."

They stepped into the massive room, and Donna gaped.

"My...GOD. This is...this is...WOW."

"Just go digging around right...there," he pointed to a far corner, where the ship had always been kind enough to provide his female companions with clothing. Donna nodded, frowning as her hand brushed an old scarf.

"Ugh, what is...," she looked up, amused by the length of the scarf.

"Oi, you didn't wear this, did ya?"

The Doctor answered briskly, walking out the door.

"Yeah, once before. Long time ago"

Donna burst out laughing.

"OI! It's not that funny!"

But Donna Noble only kept laughing. The Doctor struggled not to smile.


End file.
